alpha-Liopoic acid
alpha-Lipoic acid is an antioxidant made by the body. It is found in every cell, where it helps turn glucose into energy. Other antioxidants work only in water (such as vitamin C) or fatty tissues (such as vitamin E). But alpha-Lipoic acid is both fat and water-soluble. That means it can work throughout the body. Antioxidants in the body are used up as they attack free radicals. But evidence suggests alpha-Lipoic acid may help regenerate these other antioxidants and make them active again.
In the cells of the body, alpha-Lipoic acid is changed into dihydrolipoic acid.
Regeneration of other antioxidants:
When an antioxidant scavenges a free radical it becomes oxidised itself and is not able to scavenge additional ROS or RNS (Reactive Nitrogen Species) until it has been reduced. In the test tube, dihydrolipoic acid is a potent reducing agent with the capacity to reduce the oxidized forms of several important antioxidants, including coenzyme Q10, vitamn C and Glutathione.
Diabetes
Several studies suggest alpha-Lipoic acid helps lower blood sugar levels. Its ability to kill free radicals may help people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, who have pain, burning, itching, tingling, and numbness in arms and legs from nerve damage. Researchers believe alpha-Lipoic acid helps improve insulin sensitivity.
Taking alpha-Lipoic acid may help another diabetes-related condition called autonomic neuropathy, which affects the nerves to internal organs.
Brain Function and Stroke
Because alpha-Lipoic acid can pass easily into the brain, it may help protect the brain and nerve tissue. Researchers are investigating it as a potential treatment for stroke and other brain problems involving free radical damage, such as dementia. So far, there’s no evidence to say whether or not it works.
Cardio Vascular Health
The inner lining of blood vessels, known as the vascular endothelium, plays an important role in the maintenance of cardiovascular health. In particular, nitric oxide (NO) regulates vascular tone and blood flow by promoting the relaxation of all types of blood vessels, including arteries — a phenomenon called vasodilation.
One randomized placebo-controlled trial that assessed the effect of oral lipoic acid supplementation in 58 patients diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, a condition characterized by abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism, showed that flow-mediated vasodilation improved by 44% with 300 mg/day of lipoic acid for four weeks.
Other
Studies show ALA binds with toxic metals, such as mercury, arsenic, iron, and other metals that act as free radicals.
Beta-Carotene and Lycopene (Carotenoids)
Carotenoids are major class of chemical compounds which are mainly found in plants and microorganism. Human’s physiological system is unable to synthesize them, hence obtained from diet or other supplements. Based on the chemical structure, they are mainly categorized as carotenes and xanthophylls. Beta-Carotene and lycopene belongs to the class of carotenes
Beta-Carotene is a metabolic precursor of retinoic acid and mainly present in fruits, vegetables, liver, and eggs. Intake of Beta-Carotene either in dietary foods or in other form have shown a considerable benefits in different cardiovascular disorders such as atherosclerosis and hypertension. It acts by different mechanisms to reveal its antioxidant action. These include enhanced lymphocyte proliferation and modulation of vascular NO (Nitric oxide) bioavailability. Lycopene, a red pigment resent in some fruits and vegetable, also possess antioxidant properties and explored in the therapeutic management of CVDs. The key mechanisms involved in antioxidant action of lycopene are inhibition of lipid peroxidation, elimination of ROS and strengthen the body’s immune system . Lycopene supplementation in healthy men revealed the suppression of oxidative stress markers and improvement in endothelial functions.
Early carotid atherosclerotic lesions were observed in patients having poor levels of Beta-Carotene and Lycopene. Furthermore, Beta- Carotene and Lycopene have shown significant benefits in reperfusion injury (I/R injury)
Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)
Alpha-tocopheryl (Alpha Tocopherol) also known as Vitamin E is the major lipid-soluble component in the cell antioxidant defence system and is exclusively obtained from the diet. The recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) for vitamin E alpha-tocopheryl are: males = 15 mg (22.4 IU) and females = 15 mg (22.4 IU).
Tocopherols are one of the most valuable antioxidants because of their remarkable chemical mode of action. Vitamin E has the capability to neutralize endogenous free radicals. They interact with polyunsaturated actyl groups and protect polyunsaturated fatty acids from lipid peroxidation by scavenging lipid peroxy radicals and quenching ROS produced during membrane lipid peroxidation.Peroxyl free-radicals react with vitamin E a thousand times more rapidly than they do with the aforementioned polyunsaturated fatty acids.
During this process, tocopherols donate their phenolic hydrogen to lipid-free radicals, thus neutralizing the radical, terminating the autocatalytic lipid peroxidation processes and protecting cell membranes. The resulting tocopherol radicals are more stable, are less reactive, and, more importantly, can be reconverted to the corresponding tocopherol by reacting with other antioxidants such as ascorbate or glutathione. This allows each tocopherol to participate in many scavenging reactions before being degraded. Collectively, these properties make tocopherols highly efficient as antioxidants.
In addition, vitamin E enrichment of endothelial cells downregulates the expression of intercellular cell adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), thereby decreasing the adhesion of blood cell components to the endothelium.
